Are you a beginner trying to ace at the sport, or have you been trying but making no progress in the world of slacklining? Whatever your reasons, here is some help on how to get better at slacklining!

How to Get Better at Slacklining? Slacklining is an easy-to-learn sport. If you want to get better at slacklining, practice, practice, practice! Tireless practice coupled up with perseverance and a few slacklining tips we have lined up for you will get you to the top before you know it. Take a look!

Lets look into the way you can learn slacklining and that will also help you raise your skills to the next level. We can’t wait to see you level up your skills!

12 Ways To Enhance Your Skills

Start With a Low Slackline

The first thing that strikes most people with slacklines is the possibility of getting hurt. When you are a beginner, start at about 30-50cm from the ground.

If the slackline is for kids, a maximum height of 2ft off the ground should be set. In case you lose balance and fall, you will not get badly hurt. Apart from safety, a low slackline is also easily accessible each time you are in the spirits for slacklining.

It is also a great way to boost your confidence and train your muscles to balance on the slackline. You also want to set a short slackline between 10-20 feet to avoid excessive sagging.

The longer the slackline, the more it sags, and this will definitely affect your balance.

Ensure the Slackline is Tight

Even with excessive practice, if you are slacklining on lines with the wrong tension of the slackline, your skills will remain whack! A slackline should always be tight at the ratchet to avoid bouncing and swaying while walking.

A loose slackline will make it difficult to stay balanced due to swaying.

Once you have advanced in slacklining, you can start walking on loose slacklines. However, loose lines are best for performing tricks a bouncing or surfing on the line. You require advanced slacklining skills before you can venture into tricks.

Practice Putting Weight on the Leg on the Line

If you are a beginner, this tip is very important. How do you get on the slackline? The leg that goes on the slackline should support 70% of your body weight to be able to get on the slackline.

Once you have managed to shift your weight to the foot on the slackline, relax and take a deep breath. Focus your eyes on a fixed point and climb onto the line. Don’t worry; you will not get it right with the first or second try, but eventually, you will master the art.

Get a Helping Hand

Slacklining is an easy and enjoyable sport, but before you become a master at it, it can be very challenging. At first, no one can maintain their balance for more than a few seconds.

Do not be fooled by acrobats and professionals who seem to have it in their blood. They couldn’t either at first. While it can be defeating, getting a helping hand can make it a bit bearable.

A helping hand could be anything from getting professional help or a trainer to finding someone with similar interests and working together. Slacklining with a group of friends is one of the most effective ways of getting better at the sport.

You can also practice with someone good on the slackline so they can stretch out their hand for you as you walk. This way, you feel more secure and confident.

A helping hand could also be running a line that is parole to the slackline. You can grab onto it when you are losing balance to avoid falling. The goal of a helping hand is to guide you and act as a savior when you are losing balance. Do not get too dependent on it. You can try eliminating the use of a helper once in a while to test your balance.

Wear Your Shoes

One of the most common questions among beginners of slacklining is whether or not to wear shoes on the lines. Always wear your shoes! Some argue that you will feel the lines more when you are barefoot, or you minimize the weight without shoes for better balance. The fact remains that you should always wear your shoes for protection.

You are likely to sweat, especially when you are a beginner due to anxiety. The sweat can make you slip and fall off the lines. Even worse, the slackline may cause injuries such as cuts and bruises. Also, it is better to land on feet protected with shoes instead of landing on the hard ground barefoot. Think about it!

Focus on a Point

It is not advisable to look down on your feet while doing the slack walk. The feet may tend to get shaky at first or lose balance, which can freak you out. Trust your feet to carry you and focus on what’s important!

It is recommended to pick a specific focal point, like an object at the finish line or some faraway point. Don’t keep checking on your feet as you may end up confused. Trust your feet to guide you.

Whatever you choose as your focal point, ensure it is not a person or object that may distract you. The goal is to focus and keep your mind and muscles on the game.

Use Your Hands

You must have noticed that pros at slacklining always have their hands out. Well, the hands are a great means of finding balance. The hands should always be at the same level as your head. You can try playing around with them and bending them here and there to find balance.

You should avoid sticking your leg out as it disorganizes your balance completely. Every time you stick your foot out, your balance reduces by a half. You will have to regain balance before you start walking again. The hand up and out rule of thumb is the best technique.

Take Breaks to Rest

The practice is important, but all work without play? Slacklining is one sport that makes use of somebody’s muscles that are hardly ever used. You will experience a lot of exhaustion at the beginning and even somebody pains.

Your arms and legs my even feel unbearable! Once you start experiencing such, take a break and rest. Too much practice may even cause mental breakdown due to exhaustion. To be a master at this sport, you need your mind and body working in harmony to be able to balance effortlessly.

Practice Everywhere

Who says you can only practice on the slacklines? Balance is a matter of mastering your muscles. You do not need to wait to get on the slackline to practice.

You can practice everywhere you are as long as there is an object to balance on. Try rails and chains you find around the city. You can start on your morning bus ride.

Try standing on the bus ride without depending on anything for support. Whatever you do, just don’t depend on the slacklines only for practice.

Exercise Before Practice

We are not talking about an extreme one-hour exercise with some weightlifting and sprints. Some yoga or a little stretching is enough. Try moving your arms in different directions and playing with them, jogging on the spot, and standing on one leg.

Exercise serves to warm you up as you get ready for the slacklines. It also sets some pace for your muscles by removing the tension and providing relaxation.

Be Persistent!

Nobody gets its right with the first try; not even the world champions you see on tv. You cannot disqualify yourself as unfit or with a terrible balance on the first few tries. The fact is that your muscles are not yet conditioned for balancing on the slackline.

Also, everyone is bound to make mistakes with every advance. Each time you advance to a new slackline, your muscles need time to get the gist of it.

Losing balance here and there is part of the process of getting better. Perseverance is key in slacklining. Not even Rome was built in a day, remember! If you give up right now, you will never know what could have been! Even if you misbalance after every single second, give yourself another chance and practice even harder.

Don’t Forget to Breathe!

It has been proven that breathing deeply while slacklining helps a lot, just like during yoga. Breathing should provide some sort of meditation effect even on the slackline.

Breathing in and out also helps in relaxation and releasing excess tension, which helps with the balance. Experts recommend breathing in deeply, holding the air in for a few steps, and then exhaling.

Try to breathe as naturally as possible to avoid distorting your balance. Don’t try forcing yourself to hold the air. Also, breathe! Slacklining is meant to be a whole lot of fun. Enjoy every moment of it, and every step you take!

Conclusion: How to Get Better at Slacklining? Put in the Time and Effort

Slacklining is for everyone from five years old to grannies. It is a fun and challenging sport that everybody can learn. It looks more difficult than it is. With a few practice sessions, you will see a lot of improvement. We hope these tips were helpful!

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